


Poisoned Water; A Nuzlocke One-Shot

by Ketchup Buds (FluffyFuryFan)



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: HeartGold & SoulSilver | Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver Versions
Genre: Gen, Nuzlocke Challenge, Poisoning, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-13 21:22:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,206
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29160369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FluffyFuryFan/pseuds/Ketchup%20Buds
Summary: 𝘙𝘶𝘯, 𝘳𝘶𝘯, 𝘳𝘶𝘯! 𝘎𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘢 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳!A new trainer rushes to get her starter to the Pokémon Center after venturing out on Route Thirty at night... (Based on a Nuzlocke Run.)
Comments: 1





	Poisoned Water; A Nuzlocke One-Shot

I ran and ran. My legs ached badly while I was carrying my new starter, Winn.

Smidge the Pidgey flew in front of me. A bit ironic considering he made it very clear he hated I had caught him. I don’t know how good his sight was compared to mine, but it must be a bit better.

Gem the female Geodude threw mud at any wild Pokémon who got too close. She used a move to move faster earlier though I can’t remember the name.

I heard Winn groan as I did my best to keep him steady in my arms. His snout had a splotch of purple showing on his scales. A far cry from the happy Totodile who couldn’t settle down to stay in his Pokéball... I’d only chosen him earlier today, yet I felt a small connection to the Pokémon since I liked to be upbeat.

* * *

The Professor warned me about letting my Pokémon stay outside their balls all the time. Mew knows how many times I had to pitch in for Ethan to get his Marill a potion over the years. If Winn wasn’t poisoned, then I would have done the task he asked me to do.

I would kick myself later. A cry sounded from the surrounding grass as a Ratata retaliated Gem’s mud with a Tackle. I had to keep running, but I heard her cry out to the Normal Type loudly. It responded with a weaker cry that almost seemed hesitant if I listened close enough. 

More cries came from other Pokémon though they were impossible to make out in the low lighting.

* * *

Smidge flapped faster and I ran harder. I wished that I had put on my old running shoes when I got on this stupid route.

But, no. I took them off after my newly caught Geodude couldn’t keep up. Winn started coughing up purple bubbles and whimpering again. I hated hearing him in pain like this after that stupid Spinarak ambushed us. He was able to stand the first Poison Sting, but the second one brought on his current state. I swear I’m going to sick Smidge on every Spinarack I see from now on!

Screw whatever delivery he wanted me to pick up, Winn was more important!

* * *

My useless PokéGear hit my right leg every so often. I didn’t know the stupid Phone Number for Pokémon Centers so it was pointless trying to. Mom was asleep and Professor Elm left the phone to ring since the line dropped earlier.

I hate that I did this at night, but most of all I hate myself for not buying more potions or even status heal items. Poison kept zapping at Winn’s strength even after I gave him every potion I had.

I spent more on Pokéballs than Potions...

* * *

Something else I hated was maps made these routes look so small. When they took forever to backtrack on as I’m finding out now...

I had to keep giving Winn sips from my water bottle because he was starting to burn up. At a few points, Smidge had to fly around to keep us going in the right direction. I could see both my other Pokémon were just as worried as I was.

Ground Types sweat sand apparently. Or at least I think that was what Gem was doing. The other dual type kept flying despite me seeing his feathered chest moving rapidly. If this wasn’t a crisis, I would call this some real progress on his part. Winn was starting to respond less when I petted him and a few tears started to form.

* * *

There! I saw a break in the trees and grass that lifted my spirits a bit. Here was the Apricorn Enthusiast’s house by the small pond. I didn’t see any lights on.

Either he was sleeping or was out of the one story house. Smidge was the first to notice me slowing down once we were outside the tall grass, “...Gey?”

He landed on my shoulder a bit unsteady still breathing very hard. I had to decide on something quickly and I was scared to choose wrong. There was no guarantee that the man could help if he was still home. I quickly recalled being invited inside the house, though taking caution to stay near the door, he didn’t have any Pokémon. The fan of Apricorns probably spent money on necessities rather than healing items...

I looked from the house to the general direction of Cherrygrove. The dirt path Professor Elm told me about hadn’t been maintained in years. Essentially, all that was left of it were dirt patches untouched by the grass. Following it earlier had been hard enough even with the faint lighting from the setting sun. Winn groaned again and it was much weaker than the times before. My eyes quickly looked at my other Pokémon hoping they could help me decide. Two uncertain looks matching my own stared back at me. Looking down at the poisoned Water Type, I took a few deep breathes before making my choice.

_“Please, to whatever legendary or mythical Pokémon that’s listening, let my starter hold on for a little longer...”_

* * *

<\----------------------------------------->

* * *

Compared to the dimly lit Route Thirty, Cherrygrove’s Pokémon Center had some pretty bright lights. Smidge and Gem seemed to share my sentiments though I guess it was more unnatural to them. We barely managed to get into the building after Winn had fallen unconscious. He was still breathing during the time, but I had panicked so much thinking we had failed to get him treated in time. The floor revealed my red eyes after crying so much in those moments.

I was sitting in the corner of the lobby on a cushioned bench. Smidge was perched on the floating Gem who looked around unsure. Winn was the only one of my team who had gone into the Poké Mart a few hours prior... Granted I got him from Professor Elm in his lab so Winn was probably hatched in captivity. A sigh escaped my mouth as I continued looking toward the front desk. There was a Chansey wearing a nurse hat waiting at the main counter. They had taken Winn in an hour ago because it was more serious than just a status effect.

Pokémon used energy for their moves and their bodies were naturally resistant to said energy. But, there were some rare cases of them being injured by say a rock or part of another Pokémon... Looks like yet another reason to dislike the dual type Spinarak. Another sigh came up lasting longer than the last one.

* * *

Being upbeat was looking to be pretty much impossible given what we just went through. Gem ended up giving the one Spinarack who caused this a good reason to end our encounter. I tried to call both Mom and the Professor again after Winn was admitted. The latter understood me being too upset to continue picking up his delivery. I couldn’t get through to Mom so no comforting reassurance had been said to me. Nurse Chansey had a look of sympathy on her rounded face or at least what I thought it was.

Pokémon were intelligent enough, yet that pesky language barrier made it hard to see them as people. At least things like looking into their eyes helped to show somethings. Like, how Smidge was staying in here despite being physically uncomfortable. I appreciated it after him pecking me when I let him out of the red Pokéball I caught him with.

* * *

A second hour passed and still no news on what Winn’s condition was. I resorted to stepping outside the Pokémon Center a few times to help my other Pokémon. Friend or no friend, the tension from being inside without talking on either of our sides was starting to get to them. It sparsely reminded me of the times I would act anxious during checkups.

I would take waiting in the doctor’s office over waiting to know if my starter was okay, any day. Now, I was standing near the lobby door keeping an eye on Smidge and Gem through the glass. Both looked less uncomfortable outside though they were still worried. The normal/flying fuel type had moved to her arm using it as a new perch. If only it hadn't taken Winn getting hurt to see them look so cute like this, but I kept silent as I stood.

* * *

What a rollercoaster of emotions on my journey’s first day. Happy to receive my starter, excited to venture onto the routes, surprised when Smidge caught us off guard swooping down, confused about how Winn approached him jumping around, curious when I saw the route split off, shocked after sitting on Gem thinking she was a rock. Then to the Spinarak encounter turned things on its head.

I could still recall Winn’s hurt whimper at that stupid spider using Poison Sting on him a second time. My eyes narrowed thinking back to seeing the purple spread on his blue snout. The second status effect he experienced just had to be Poison... I thought it was bad enough seeing him flinched from a Sentret back on the route connecting New Bark and Cherrygrove. This was no one’s fault, but my own with regret plaguing my thoughts for letting him battle against it.

* * *

A light tapping on the nearby glass door broke me from my thoughts. I looked to see my Pokémon right against it and my eyes snapped to a digital clock. Another hour spent without hearing back from Nurse Joy. I quickly let the two back in before making my way over to Chansey at the front counter. They joined me just as I reached the pink Pokémon, to be honest I’m not normally that patient.

“Hey, so... Any word on how Winn is doing from Nurse Joy?” I asked abruptly.

“Chansey?” Was the response I got with a slight head tilt as that ever-present smile still grace the normal type’s face.

I sighed a bit before clarifying, “The little Totodile I brought in. Who was poisoned.”

She understood me now, but her smile turned into what I guessed to be a neutral look, “...Chansey, sey.” The nurse Pokémon shook her head slowly as her eyes met with my other Pokémon. Both looked as I felt currently, disappointed, to a stronger degree. 

“Thanks, anyway. Nurse Chansey...” I said before walking slowly toward the bench in the corner. Tiredness started to creep up on me because I had gotten up early today to get Winn. All we can do was just wait I guess, but that didn’t make it easy. I sat down on the seat and the two dual types joined me looking dejected. Looking at their faces I reached a small epiphany, why did I let three hours pass without saying this?

“It’s a little late, “ I began receiving some confused looks. “But. Thanks for helping me get Winn here you two. He has a better chance to recover because you two helped keep wild Pokémon away. Sorry this took a while to say...”

While I’m not sure they understood what I said a hundred percent, both seemed to perk up a bit after looking so defeated.

* * *

I was jolted away by a chime consisting of a few notes from the across the room. Even though the bright lights caught me off guard as I had to blink away some forming spots, I was confused as why I wasn’t waking up in my house.

“Lyra Gold?” Asked the worried voice of a pink-haired woman who I recognized as Nurse Joy. Recent events came rushing back in mere seconds as I rubbed my eyes trying to get the tiredness out.

“Y-Yes?” I said, more so asked, wearily.

“Your Totodile is stable, “ she started, though her expression wasn’t a happy one. “I’m afraid that Poison Sting did something more serious than just inflicting the Poisoned status effect...”

* * *

It took six hours to get Winn stable from what Nurse Joy told me. Said Totodile was sleeping peacefully in the little bed for small Pokémon. While he no longer had purple on his muzzle, the white gauze wrapped around his neck area caught my eye. I sighed looking at him through the glass observation window.

She explained earlier that the Spinarak’s small horn managed to puncture a very particular area. The area that let Water Types like Winn build-up the energy for his types’ moves, like say Water Gun. Its horn didn’t need to go that deep to reach the area. What really damaged it was the Pokémon species poison located in... the very same horn. Nurse Joy was unsure if Winn would recover enough to use the Water Type energy fully again.

He would never be able to build up the energy to the levels of using those moves again. The woman trained in Pokémon Healthcare said it was unlikely he could battle without the full connection to his type’s moves... I could only cry as I blamed myself for letting him become the equivalent of disabled. A Pokémon not being able to use their type’s moves was like losing a leg to the battle prone species. Some Trainer I turned out to be.

**Author's Note:**

> Now then. This was based on a Nuzlocke Run attempt I did a few years ago, sorry if the story came out of nowhere. Heart of Gold was the game to introduce me into the Pokémon series. I originally picked Cyndaquil because it looked cool with the tail flames and my love for Pokémon kicked off from there. Anyway, in the game you don’t get Pokéballs until delivering the egg to Professor Elm. I thought writing exactly as the games went would be a bit too bland. 
> 
> So I combined that task with what actually happened, I started the Nuzlocke at Night in a spur of the moment decision. I encountered a Spinarak on the way to Mr. Pokémon’s house. It used Poison Sting which didn’t inflict on Winn the Totodile.
> 
> I finished the delivery and battled Silver, then set the game down for a few hours of finish something. (School related I think) Picked it back up the next day around the late afternoon and encountered the two Pokémon you see in the story. I was really happy to encounter a Geodude because of the first gym so I named her Gem. Like any good Nuzlocke attempt-ee I bought a few potions to keep my team’s health up. 
> 
> It was getting to be after sunset in the game, yet I ignored this in order to keep playing. I fought against the famous Youngster Joey’s Top Percentage Ratata. Everything was going well considering this was my very first Nuzlocke, and then it all went horribly wrong. I once again headed up toward Mr. Pokémon’s house to get the Apricorn that grew back. I was just three steps away from his house when the dual-type struck.
> 
> I had Winn out in the front since he was my strongest battler at the moment though he only had around 80% health. I hit for a decent chunk of damage, it String Shot. And on the next turn—it attacked. One Poison Sting with a 30% chance to inflict the Poison Status. It hit, and to add insult to injury, turned out to be a critical hit. With his HP already down, the crit, and poisoning. He was brought into orange.
> 
> I quickly switched out for Smidge and after a close battle managed to knock it out. I had to use my few potions on both of them to get their health up. I got the Apricorn, but got surprised when the screen acted weird. I forgot poison saps a Pokémon’s Hp outside of battle and rushed to get him to the Pokémon center. A bunch of encounters slowed me down even when I ran from them.
> 
> That bit at the only other house on the route was when Winn was seriously low. I just stopped my character from moving near that guy’s house... Thought about what I’m going to do since I was out of potions. Winn fainted just before I got him to Nurse joy literally a few spaces from the NPC sprite. Safe to say I was pretty upset with myself over the run ending in my favorite Pokémon game at the time...
> 
> Died early in my second Nuzlocke run to a Pikachu outspeeding my Chespin.  
> \-----------------  
> The reason why I wrote a story around my first run is that I almost lost the notes to the story involving my current Ultra Sun run, Simmering Ballad. What a fantastic way to start off Groundhog day... I wanted to get this out on it, but this ended up being longer than expected.
> 
> Happy February, I guess.  
> —The Ketchup Buds.


End file.
